Electronic camera, information obtaining system and print order system

ABSTRACT

The camera comprises: an imaging device; a communicating device for transmitting and receiving information to and from a portable telephone capable of determining the communication area, and obtaining the images and maps of the imaging place and the information on the printing shops on the basis of information of the communication area held by the portable telephone; and a display for displaying the obtained images and maps of the imaging place and the information on the printing shops. The user can easily obtain and display the images and maps of the imaging place and the information on the printing shops.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic camera, an informationobtaining system and a print order system, and more particularly to anelectronic camera which can communicate with a portable communicationdevice and can obtain information on an image-capturing place andinformation related to a printing shop through the externalcommunication device.

2. Description of Related Art

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-147370 discloses a system inwhich tourism service information is obtained and goods are ordered inan interactive manner on the basis of the information. However, it hasbeen possible for the user only to order goods and it has beenimpossible for the user to combine an image optically-captured by theuser with an image gotten in a tourist spot or the like where the uservisits in his trip so as to synthesize a new image.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-161227 discloses a systemin which main data is received from an external image-capturinginformation transmitter and recorded. However, it has been impossible tocombine an optically-captured image with received data.

Moreover, there has been known a camera for recording positionalinformation as well as an image on the basis of map informationpreviously recorded on a recording medium. However, since the quantityof the previously recorded map information is limited, there has been aninconvenience that the positional information cannot be obtained inplaces except the recorded map information.

Furthermore, there has been known a camera for getting positionalinformation from a global positioning system (GPS) to record it.However, the camera must be equipped with a GPS antenna in order toimplement the functions of the GPS in the camera so as to obtain thepositional information of the image-capturing place. Therefore, therehas been an inconvenience that the size of the camera itself isincreased and the cost of the camera is raised.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, andit is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic cameraand an information obtaining system which allows the images or the mapsof neighboring tourist spots to be easily obtained.

Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide aninformation obtaining system in which a correction can be applied to thepositional information of an image-capturing place obtained via acommunication device and both an image optically-captured by a user andthe corrected positional information can be recorded together and aprint order system in which a printing shop to which a print order issent can be readily selected.

In order to attain the above described objects, the present invention isdirected to an electronic camera which obtains a desired image from aserver storing images of tourist spots and providing an image inaccordance with a request from a user through an external communicationdevice capable of determining a communication area where the externalcommunication device is, the electronic camera comprising: acommunication device which transmits a request for obtaining an image ofa tourist spot to the server through the external communication deviceand receives information and the image of the tourist spot around thecommunication area from the server; a display which displays theinformation and the image of the tourist spot obtained from the serverthrough the external communication device; an information input devicewhich selects and inputs a desired image from the displayed tourist spotinformation; and a recording medium which records the image of thetourist spot received through the external communication device andrecords an image gotten by an imaging operation.

According to the present invention, the images of the tourist spot inthe neighborhood can be easily acquired.

Preferably, the camera further comprises an information processingdevice which combines the image of the tourist spot recorded on therecording medium with the image obtained by the imaging operation.

Further, the present invention is directed to an electronic camera whichtransmits information to and receives information from a server havinginformation of printing shops and transferring an image to a printingshop in accordance with a request for print from a user through anexternal communication device capable of determining a communicationarea where the external communication device is, the electronic cameracomprising: a communication device which receives printing shopinformation in a neighborhood of the communicating area from the serverand transmits an image to the printing shop; a display which displaysthe printing shop information obtained from the server through thecommunication device; and an information input device which selects andinputs a desired printing shop from the displayed printing shopinformation.

According to the present invention, the printing shop which is orderedto print the image can be easily selected.

Still further, the present invention is directed to an informationobtaining system, comprising: a server which stores images of touristspots and provides an image in accordance with a request from a user;and an electronic camera which obtains a desired image from the serverthrough an external communication device capable of determining acommunication area where the external communication device is, whereinthe electronic camera comprises: an imaging device which captures animage of an object; a communication device which transmits a request forobtaining an image of a tourist spot to the server through the externalcommunication device and receives the image of the tourist spot from theserver; and a recording medium which records the image of the touristspot received by the communication device and the image captured by animaging operation, wherein the server comprises: an image selectingdevice which selects the image of the tourist spot in the neighborhoodon the basis of the information of the communication area of theexternal communication device when there is sent the request forobtaining the image of the tourist spot through the externalcommunication device from the electronic camera; and a transmittingdevice which transmits the selected image of the tourist spot to theelectronic camera.

According to the present invention, the images of the tourist spots inthe neighborhood can be gotten with ease.

Still further, the present invention is directed to a print ordersystem, comprising: an electronic camera which transmits an imageordered to be printed to a server through an external communicationdevice capable of determining a communication area where the externalcommunication device is; and the server which receives the order forprinting the image transmitted from the electronic camera through theexternal communication device and transmits the received image to aprinting shop in a neighborhood of the communication area, wherein theelectronic camera comprises: an information input device which selectsand inputs the image ordered to be printed from a recording medium onwhich images are recorded; a communication device which transmits theimage ordered to be printed which is selected and inputted to the serverthrough the external communication device and receives information ofthe printing shop in the neighborhood from the server; and a displaywhich displays the received information of the printing shop, whereinthe server comprises: a selecting device which selects the printing shopin the neighborhood on the basis of information of the communicationarea of the external communication device when the print order isrequested from the electronic camera through the external communicationdevice; and a transmitting device which transmits the image ordered tobe printed to the selected printing shop and transmits the informationof the printing shop to the electronic camera.

According to the present invention, the printing shop that is ordered toprint the image can be readily selected.

Furthermore, the present invention is directed to an informationobtaining system comprising: a server which has map data and providesthe map data in accordance with a request from a user; and an electroniccamera which obtains desired map data from the server through anexternal communication device capable of determining a communicationarea where the external communication device is, wherein the electroniccamera comprises: a communication device which transmits a request formap data to the server through the external communication device andreceives the map data from the server; a recording medium which recordsthe map data received by the communication device; and a display whichdisplays a map on the basis of the map data recorded on the recordingmedium, wherein the server comprises: a selecting device which selectsthe map data, in a neighborhood on the basis of the information of thecommunication area of the external communication device when a requestfor obtaining the map data is supplied from the electronic camera; and atransmitting device which transmits the map data selected by theselecting device to the electronic camera.

According to the present invention, the map of the tourist spot in theneighborhood can be easily obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantagesthereof, will be explained in the following with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate thesame or similar parts throughout the figures and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic camera;

FIG. 2 shows configurations of various kinds of communication devicesused when the electronic camera transmits and receives information;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing contents displayed by the electronic camera;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which an image receivedfrom a tourist spot information server is combined with anoptically-captured image to form a new image;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of a file of the receivedimage of a tourist spot;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process for receiving image information;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the structure of printing shop informationand map information transmitted to the electronic camera from theprinting shop;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing print service information transmitted to theprinting shop from the electronic camera;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart when the electronic camera receives the imageinformation and transmits the print service information; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart when the electronic camera receives mapinformation and records it on the optically-captured image as auxiliaryinformation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of anelectronic camera, an information obtaining system and a print ordersystem will be described in more detail.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic camera according to anembodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, an electronic camera 10 comprises: a lens 14 for forming animage of an object to be captured on an imaging device 12; aninformation input device 24 including a shutter release switch 16 bywhich the user instructs an image to be optically-captured in theelectronic camera 10, a mode change switch 18 for changing the operationmode of the electronic camera 10, a cursor switch 20 for moving acursor, a range selecting switch 21 for selecting a range, and adetermination switch 22 for instructing selecting information to bedetermined; an information processing device 26 for performing processessuch as a process of the optically-captured image, a process for editingthe image, a synthesizing process of the image or the information, acorrection process of a present position, and a process corresponding tothe switch information of the information input device 24; a display 28for displaying the image or the inputted information; a recording medium30 for recording link information upon combination of image data or theimage; and a communication device 32 for bidirectionally transmittingand receiving the information such as the image data between an externalcommunication device and the communication device 32.

The information processing device 26 is provided with a ROM in which aprogram for controlling the electronic camera 10, map information,sightseeing information, the information of an access point to becommunicated and connected and various kinds of constants are stored,and a RAM serving as the working area of the information processingdevice 26 and storing therein information gotten through the externalcommunication device.

FIG. 2 shows the configurations of various kinds of externalcommunication devices employed when the electronic camera 10 transmitsand receives information.

In FIG. 2, the external communication devices include a communicationdevice 44 which communicates with the electronic camera 10 and cantransmit information to and receive from a server 42 via a communicationnetwork 40 such as a public line, a tourist spot information server 45connected in communication to the server 42, and a printing shop 46 forreceiving and printing image information transmitted from the electroniccamera 10 and supplying the image thus printed to the user.

In the tourist spot information server 45, the latest information of thetourist spot, image data such as the image of the past best scene of thetourist spot, a present landscape, etc. or guide map information,positional information and character information are stored. The touristspot server 45 can transmit the information of the above describedtourist spot in accordance with a request from the server 42.

The communication network 40 performs a communication with the externalcommunication device 44 and comprises a plurality of base stations 47A,47B, 47C, . . . , performing a communication with a line controlposition determining station 48. When the external communication device44 and one of the above described plurality of base stations 47A, 47Band 47C transmit and receive information therebetween, a preliminarycommunication is previously carried out to search for the nearest basestation 47B and determine a communication area, which is an area wherethe external communication device 44 is. This control is performed bythe line control position determining station 48 so that the station 48can inform the server 42 of the communication area. The server 42 canselect the tourist spot information server 45 or the printing shop 46 inthe vicinity of the communication area on the basis of the communicationarea information.

In an example shown in FIG. 2, although the electronic camera 10communicates with the external communication device 44 through wirelesscommunication means, it is to be understood that wired communicationmeans in which the electronic camera 10 is connected to the externalcommunication device 44 by a cable to perform communication may beemployed. Further, the external communication device 44 may be aportable telephone capable of performing communication through a publicline.

The communicating operation of the electronic camera 10 configured asdescribed above will be described below.

The user sets the mode of the electronic camera 10 to a mode of“communication”. Then, on the display 28 of the electronic camera 10, adisplay for urging a communication connecting destination to be selectedis shown. The user designates a desired communication connectingdestination from the communication connecting destination informationdisplayed on the display 28. Then, the electronic camera 10 starts acommunication with the server 42 in the neighborhood of thecommunication area through the external communication device 44. At thistime, in the case where the external communication device 44 is acellular type portable telephone, since the nearest base station 47B canidentify the portable telephone, the portable telephone may beautomatically connected to the nearest server 42. Further, when aplurality of servers 42 are present in the neighborhood, the user mayselect and designate one server 42 thereof.

When the communication between the server 42 and the electronic camera10 is established, the server 42 transmits available contentsinformation to the electronic camera 10. The information processingdevice 26 of the electronic camera 10 displays the received contentsinformation on the display 28. The user selects a desired item byoperating the information input device 24 on the basis of the displayedinformation.

The selected information is transmitted to the tourist spot informationserver 45 through the external communication device 44 and the server42, and the electronic camera 10 receives the designated information.The received information is recorded on the recording medium 30 of theelectronic camera 10 or the RAM provided in the information processingdevice 26. In this case, the electronic camera 10 may display thereceived sightseeing information or the images of tourist spots on thedisplay 28.

For example, in the case where the user gets the present scene of Mt.Fuji, when the items of “image”, “Shizuoka” and “Mt. Fuji” are selected,and then, the “present scene” is selected from the contents displayed ina file structure shown in FIG. 3, the present image of Mt. Fuji istransmitted from the tourist spot information server 45 to theelectronic camera 10. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when there exist aplurality of neighboring tourist spots in adjacent areas such as “Mt.Fuji” and “the Fuji Five Lakes”, the user may select a plurality ofpieces of tourist spot information and obtain a plurality of pieces ofimage information.

The imaging operation of the electronic camera 10 will be described.

The user sets the mode of the electronic camera 10 to a mode of“imaging”. The image of the object to be captured which is formed on theimaging device 12 of the electronic camera 10 is converted into anelectric signal and displayed on the display 28. Then, while theoptically-captured image displayed on the display 28 is viewed bydirecting the electronic camera 10 toward the object whose image isoptically-captured, an angle, a focus and an exposure state relative tothe object to be captured are determined, and then, the shutter releaseswitch 16 is pressed to optically capture the image.

The image optically-captured is recorded on the recording medium 30.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment in which the optically-captured imageis combined with the image received from the tourist spot informationserver 45 to produce a new image.

As shown in FIG. 4, the image selected and received by the user from thetourist spot information server 45 is displayed on the display 28, andthe user cuts and selects a necessary part by operating the informationinput device 24 and designates a range in which the received image iscombined with the optically-captured image. Then, the user reads out theoptically-captured image from the recording medium 30 to combine it withthe above described image in a desired position. In this case, insteadof reading out the optically-captured image from the recording medium30, the range may be designated on the basis of a preview image to beoptically-captured, the received image may be combined with theoptically-captured image and the synthesized image may be displayed. Insuch a manner, the received image is combined with theoptically-captured image, so that a synthesized image such as asynthesized photograph of the image of the past best scene of thetourist spot and the user that the user cannot obtain on that date orthat time when the user visits the tourist spot can be formed. In thecase where images are combined together, an image synthesizing apparatussuch as a personal computer has been conventionally required. However,according to the present invention, the image information is downloadedfrom the tourist spot information server 45, so that a synthesized imagecan be readily formed in the electronic camera 10.

FIG. 5 shows the structure of a file of a received image of a touristspot.

Referring to FIG. 5, a file 50 of a received image comprises an imagedata part 52 in which the data of the image is recorded, imaging dateinformation 54 in which information when the image wasoptically-captured is written, imaging place information 56 in whichinformation related to places where the image was optically-captured iswritten, and a comment part 58 in which auxiliary information such as anexplanation concerning advertisement or image data.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for receiving the image information.

Referring to FIG. 6, when the processes of the electronic camera 10 arestarted in S100 of “start”, the setting state of the mode change switch18 is monitored in S102 of “set to communication mode?”. If a mode thatis currently set is not the communication mode, the procedure of theprocesses will branch through S104 of “shift to a set mode” to theprocessing program of the set mode. If the mode change switch 18 is setto the communication mode in S102, the procedure will advance to S106 of“establish a communication”.

In S106, the electronic camera 10 starts a communication with theexternal communication device 44 by employing the communication device32 and also starts a communication with the server 42 of the nearestaccess point. When the communication is established, contentsinformation received via the server 42 is displayed on the display 28 inS108 of “receive and display contents”.

The user operates the information input device 24 in S110 of “selectinformation to be received” to select one or a plurality of pieces ofdesired information. The selected information is transmitted to thetourist spot information server 45 through the external communicationdevice 44. The tourist spot information server 45 transmits one or aplurality of pieces of designated information to the electronic camera10.

The electronic camera 10 receives the selected information and recordsthe information on the recording medium 30 in S112 of “receive andrecord information”. In subsequent S114 of “select information to bedisplayed”, when a plurality of pieces of information are received fromthe tourist spot information server 45, one piece of information to bedisplayed is selected. The contents of the information to be displayedmay be image information, map information or character information.

In S116 “synthesize image?”, the user is asked to decide whether or notthe received image is combined with the optically-captured image. If thesynthesis of the images is not performed, the procedure will branch toS126 of “END” to finish the processes without performing a synthesizingprocess. If the synthesis of the images is performed, the procedure willadvance to S118 of “obtain optically-captured image”.

In S118, the image recorded on the recording medium 30 is selected, readout and displayed. Further, when a newly optically-captured image iscombined with the received image, a mode for performing the imagingoperation is selected to optically capture an image.

When the image to be combined with the received image is obtained, thecombined position and the combined range of each image are designated byreferring to a display screen in S120 of “set combined position andcombined range”. When the combined position and the combined range aredetermined, the procedure advances to S112 of “synthesize” and theinformation processing device 26 performs a process for combining theimages. When a new image obtained by the synthesizing process isrecorded, the newly formed image is recorded on the recording medium 30in S124 of “record”.

When the recording operation of the image is completed, the programadvances to S126 of “END” to finish the processes for obtaining theimage and combining the images.

As described above, the image received from the tourist spot informationserver 45 is combined with the optically-captured image in theelectronic camera 10, so that the synthesizing process and theprocessing work of the images which is conventionally carried out byusing a personal computer or the like can be easily realized in theelectronic camera 10. Therefore, the images can be combined by a simpleoperation without requiring complicated works. Further, a variety ofimage information required for the synthesizing process can be acquiredfrom the external tourist spot information server 45 through theexternal communication device 44.

Further, according to the present invention, a service can be performedin which the image formed in the electronic camera 10 as described aboveis transmitted to and printed in the printing shop 46, and the printedimage is delivered to the user's house. A method for obtaininginformation related to the printing shop 46 and a method for receiving aprint service will be described hereinafter.

FIG. 7 shows the structure of printing shop information 60 and mapinformation 70 transmitted to the electronic camera 10 from the printingshop 46.

Referring to FIG. 7, the printing shop information 60 comprises thetelephone number 62 of the printing shop, the address 64 of the printingshop, the name 66 of the printing shop and map data 68 in the vicinityof the printing shop. When the electronic camera 10 receives the abovedescribed information through the communication network 40, theelectronic camera 10 displays the printing shop information 60 and themap information 70 on the display 28.

In this case, the display 28 may be controlled to display the printingshop information 60 and the map information 70 on separate screens, andthen, the user may operate the information input device 24 to switch anddisplay them. When the user designates the printing shop 46 to be usedwhile viewing the display, the procedure advances to a process forselecting a desired image to be printed and transmitting the selectedimage.

FIG. 8 shows print service information 72 transmitted to the printingshop 46 from the electronic camera 10.

With reference to FIG. 8, the print service information 72 compriseselectronic camera identifying information 74 unique to the electroniccamera 10 as a transmitter, communication device identifying information76 such as the telephone number of the portable telephone, the imagedata 78 of the owner of the electronic camera 10, the file name and thenumber 80 of print sheets of the print image requested to be printed,and image data 82, 82, . . . , to be printed.

For the communication device identifying information 76, the electroniccamera 10 or the server 42 may automatically obtain the telephone numberof the portable telephone of the user upon starting a communication andregister it in the print service information 72. Further, the image data78 of the owner of the electronic camera 10 is created by photographingthe owner by using the electronic camera 10 and attaching the data thusobtained thereto. The image data 78 of the owner of the electroniccamera 10 may be used in place of the name of an orderer.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart in which the electronic camera 10 receives theimage information and transmits the print service information 72.

Referring to FIG. 9, when the processes of the electronic camera 10 arestarted in S200 of “start”, the setting state of the mode change switch18 is monitored in S202 of “set to communication mode?”. If a mode thatis currently set is not the communication mode, the procedure of theprocesses will branch through S204 of “shift to a set mode” to theprocessing program of the set mode. If the mode change switch 18 is setto the communication mode in S202, the procedure will advance to S206 of“establish a communication with server”.

In S206, the electronic camera 10 starts a communication with theexternal communication device 44 by using the communication device 32,and also starts a communication with the server 42 as the nearest accesspoint. When the communication is established therebetween, informationreceived from the tourist spot information server 45 in the neighborhoodis displayed in next S208 of “receive and display tourist spotinformation server in the neighborhood”.

In next S210 of “select desired tourist spot information server”, theuser selects a desired tourist spot information server 45 from theinformation displayed on the display 28. Then, the selected informationis transmitted to the server 42 through the external communicationdevice 44 and the communication network 40. The electronic camera 10receives contents information from the selected tourist spot informationserver 45. The electronic camera 10 displays the received contentsinformation on the display 28 in S212 of “receive and display contents”.

The user operates the information input device 24 to select one or aplurality of pieces of desired information in S214 of “selectinformation to be received”. The selected information is transmitted tothe tourist spot information server 45 through the externalcommunication device 44 and the tourist spot information server 45transmits one or a plurality of pieces of designated information to theelectronic camera 10.

The electronic camera 10 receives the selected information and recordsit on the recording medium 30 in S216 of “receive and recordinformation”. In S218 of “select information to be displayed”, when aplurality of pieces of information are received from the tourist spotinformation server 45, a process for selecting the information to bedisplayed is carried out. The contents to be displayed may be imageinformation, map information or character information.

In S220 of “synthesize image?”, the user is asked to decide whether ornot the received image is combined with the optically-captured image. Ifthe synthesis of the images is not performed, the procedure will branchto S236 of “END” to finish the processes without performing asynthesizing process. If the synthesis of the images is performed, theprocedure will advance to S222 of “obtain optically-captured image”.

In S222, the image recorded on the recording medium 30 is selected, readout and displayed. Further, when a newly optically-captured image iscombined with the received image, a mode for performing the imagingoperation is selected to optically capture an image.

When the image to be combined with the received image is obtained, thecombined position and the combined range of each image are designated byreferring to a display screen in S224 of “set combined position andcombined range”. When the combined position and the combined range aredetermined, the procedure advances to S226 of “synthesize”. Then, theinformation processing device 26 carries out a process for combining theimages. When a new image obtained by the synthesizing process isrecorded, the newly formed image is recorded on the recording medium 30in S228 of “record”.

When the recording process of the image is completed and the userdesires to print the image, a process for calling the printing shop 46is designated. When the electronic camera 10 requests the server 42 tosupply the information of the printing shop 46, the server 42 selectsthe information of the nearest or neighboring printing shop 46 andtransmits the information to the electronic camera 10. The electroniccamera 10 displays the received printing shop information 60 or the mapinformation 70 in S230 of “receive and display neighboring printing shopinformation”.

In S232 of “select a desired printing shop”, a desired printing shop 46is selected from the displayed printing shops 46. The selectedinformation is transmitted to the printing shop 46 from the electroniccamera 10. After that, the printing shop 46 may transmit informationconcerning conditions of printing photograph to the electronic camera 10so that the user can select various kinds of conditions.

When printing conditions or the image to be printed are determined, theelectronic camera 10 transmits the print service information 72 shown inFIG. 8 to the printing shop 46 in S234 of “request to print photograph”.

When the request to print the photograph is finished, the programadvances to S236 of “END” to finish the processes for obtaining theimage and requesting to print the photograph. Upon request to print thephotograph, the printing shop 46 may inform the electronic camera 10 ofa finish place or an expected finish date.

As mentioned above, since the information processing device 26 of theelectronic camera 10 combines the image received from the tourist spotinformation server 45 with the image obtained by an imaging operationand requests the printing shop 46 to print the synthesized photograph,the processes for combining the images, and processing and printing thesynthesized images which is conventionally performed by employing thepersonal computer or the like can be readily realized by the electroniccamera 10. Therefore, the images can be combined and the synthesizedimages can be printed by a simple operation without requiring acomplicated work.

Now, a description is directed to an embodiment in which an imagingposition is obtained on the basis of the communication area informationof a system provided in the external communication device 44 and isrecorded as the auxiliary information of the image, when the externalcommunication device 44 is a portable telephone with a narrow range ofcommunication area such as the cellular phone system and the personalhandy-phone system (PHS).

As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic camera 10 is connected to theexternal communication device 44 (portable telephone including a PHS) ina communication. When the communication with a prescribed server 42 isstarted through the communication network 40, the server 42 can obtainthe positional information of the nearest base station 47B relative tothe external communication device 44 from the line control positiondetermining station 48. The server 42 transmits the map information inthe vicinity of the base station 47B to the electronic camera 10 on thebasis of the positional information of the base station 47B. This mapinformation may include only a map or information combined with thepositional information of the longitude and latitude.

The electronic camera 10 displays the received map information on thedisplay 28 to inform the user of the map information. The userrecognizes a place where the user is present from the displayed mapinformation. If an accuracy is required for the positional informationand there exists a difference between the position where the user ispresent and the position of the map information, a current position willbe corrected by using the information input device 24 such as the cursorswitch 20 by comparing the current position with a circumferentialstate.

When the user optically captures an image under this state, theinformation of the imaging position (present position) is recorded asthe auxiliary information together with the image data obtained by theimaging operation. Then, when the imaging operation is performed bymoving from the place a little, the previously employed positionalinformation can be corrected on a map to form new image information.

Further, when an imaging operation is carried out at a position deviatedfrom the displayed map, the map information is downloaded again from theserver 42 and utilized. Still further, in the case where the user ismoving in the displayed map so that it is troublesome to manuallycorrect imaging information every time, it is possible to perform acommunication with the server 42 and to download only the positionalinformation and automatically change the positional information. Thus,the information processing device 26 may classify the optically-capturedimages and store them on the basis of the positional information of theimaging place acquired in such a manner.

Still further, in the case where the imaging operation is carried out ina place where the external communication device 44 cannot perform acommunication with the communication network 40 as in the underground ofa building or a place where the use of the portable telephone isprohibited, the map information is previously gotten from the server 42and the positional information is changed by using the displayed mapinformation, so that the imaging position information can be recorded aswell as the image data to be recorded.

Still further, in the case where the imaging operation is continuouslycarried out so that the image data in the recording medium 30 of theelectronic camera 10 is increased and a remaining recording capacity isdecreased, a communication with a prescribed server 42 may be startedthrough the external communication device 44 to upload the informationrecorded in the recording medium 30 in the server 42. The uploadedinformation can be retrieved in such a way that the user downloads itfrom the server 42, for instance, after the user returns home.

The server 42 side can register images to which the positionalinformation is affixed on the map as associated area information, createand open to the public the data base thereof, with consent of theimaging person or the photographer.

FIG. 10 shows a flowchart when the electronic camera 10 receives the mapinformation and records the map information on the optically-capturedimage as the auxiliary information.

Referring to FIG. 10, when the processes of the electronic camera 10 arestarted in step S300 of “start”, the setting state of the mode changeswitch 18 is monitored in S302 of “set to communication mode?”. If theset mode is not the communication mode, the procedure will branchthrough S304 of “shift to set mode” to the processing program of the setmode. If the mode change switch 18 is set to the communication mode inS302, the procedure will advance to S306 of “establish a communicationwith a server”.

In S306, the electronic camera 10 starts a communication with theexternal communication device 44 by using the communication device 32,and also automatically starts a communication with the server 42 as thenearest access point. When the communication is establishedtherebetween, map information in the neighborhood received from theserver 42 is obtained and displayed in S308 of “obtain positionalinformation”.

In step S310 of “user's place is present in a map?”, the user is askedto decide whether or not the place where the user is present is includedin the map displayed on the display 28. If the place where the user ispresent is included in the displayed map, the procedure will advance toS314. If the place where the user is present is not included in thedisplayed map, the procedure will branch to S312 of “obtain a mapincluding a current user's place” to perform a process for receivinganother map in which the user's current place is included, and advanceto S314 of “set a map to a position gotten by the communication device”.

The user sets the map to the position obtained by the externalcommunication device 44 in S314 and advances to S316 to decide “whetherthere is not a difference between the position on the map and an actualposition”. In S316, it is decided whether or not the place where theuser is present is deviated from the position displayed on the map. Ifthere exists a difference between the place in which the user is presentand the position shown on the map, the procedure will branch to S318 of“operate the information input device to correct the place on the mapwhere the user is present”.

In S318, the user operates the information input device 24 to correct adifference between the place in which the user is present and theposition on the map. When the correction is completed, the programadvances to S320 of “record optically-captured image”.

In S320, a mode for performing the imaging operation is selected tooptically capture the image and the information of the place where theuser is present is affixed to the image information and recorded on therecording medium 30.

When the recording operation of the image is completed, the programadvances to S322 of “END” to finish the processes for obtaining theimage and recording the imaging position information.

As mentioned above, since the portable telephone is connected to theelectronic camera 10 under a communication, a function for obtaining thepositional information of the base station 47B near a communication spotis utilized and the electronic camera 10 receives and records a map inthe neighborhood of the base station 47B on the basis of the positionalinformation, the information of the imaging position can be easilyaffixed to the optically-captured image and they can be recorded.Further, since the electronic camera 10 can transmit the map informationand the image information to the server 42, the user can opticallycapture a large quantity of images irrespective of the recordingcapacity of the recording medium 30 of the electronic camera 10.Besides, it is not necessary to carry a large quantity of recordingmedia 30 in reserve.

Still further, in the case where the optical image pickup person cannotspecify a place where he is present in an unknown area, the abovedescribed function capable of obtaining the positional information ofthe base station 47B near the communication point is utilized to displaya current position and a map so that he can know the current place wherehe is present.

Furthermore, two persons present in remote places can exchangerespective map information through the portable telephones in order toknow respective places where they are present so that they can mutuallyunderstand the respective places.

As described above, according to the present invention, the electroniccamera obtains a desired image from a server storing images of touristspots and providing an image in accordance with a request from a userthrough an external communication device capable of determining acommunication area where the external communication device is, and theelectronic camera comprises: a communication device which transmits arequest for obtaining an image of a tourist spot to the server throughthe external communication device and receives information and the imageof the tourist spot around the communication area from the server; adisplay which displays the information and the image of the tourist spotobtained from the server through the external communication device; aninformation input device which selects and inputs a desired image fromthe displayed tourist spot information; and a recording medium whichrecords the image of the tourist spot received through the externalcommunication device and records an image gotten by an imagingoperation. Thus, the user can easily acquire the expected images of thelandscape of the tourist spot in the neighborhood from the server, evenwhen an expected landscape cannot be photographed due to bad weather.

Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, theelectronic camera transmits information to and receives information froma server having information of printing shops and transferring an imageto a printing shop in accordance with a request for print from a userthrough an external communication device capable of determining acommunication area where the external communication device is, and theelectronic camera comprises: a communication device which receivesprinting shop information in a neighborhood of the communicating areafrom the server and transmits an image to the printing shop; a displaywhich displays the printing shop information obtained from the serverthrough the communication device; and an information input device whichselects and inputs a desired printing shop from the displayed printingshop information. Thus, the user can easily select the printing shop toorder to print the image.

Further, according to the present invention, the information obtainingsystem comprises: a server which stores images of tourist spots andprovides an image in accordance with a request from a user; and anelectronic camera which obtains a desired image from the server throughan external communication device capable of determining a communicationarea where the external communication device is, wherein the electroniccamera comprises: an imaging device which captures an image of anobject; a communication device which transmits a request for obtainingan image of a tourist spot to the server through the externalcommunication device and receives the image of the tourist spot from theserver; and a recording medium which records the image of the touristspot received by the communication device and the image captured by animaging operation, wherein the server comprises: an image selectingdevice which selects the image of the tourist spot in the neighborhoodon the basis of the information of the communication area of theexternal communication device when there is sent the request forobtaining the image of the tourist spot through the externalcommunication device from the electronic camera; and a transmittingdevice which transmits the selected image of the tourist spot to theelectronic camera. Thus, the user can easily get the images of thetourist spots in the neighborhood.

Further, according to the present invention, the print order systemcomprises: an electronic camera which transmits an image ordered to beprinted to a server through an external communication device capable ofdetermining a communication area where the external communication deviceis; and the server which receives the order for printing the imagetransmitted from the electronic camera through the externalcommunication device and transmits the received image to a printing shopin a neighborhood of the communication area, wherein the electroniccamera comprises: an information input device which selects and inputsthe image ordered to be printed from a recording medium on which imagesare recorded; a communication device which transmits the image orderedto be printed which is selected and inputted to the server through theexternal communication device and receives information of the printingshop in the neighborhood from the server; and a display which displaysthe received information of the printing shop, wherein the servercomprises: a selecting device which selects the printing shop in theneighborhood on the basis of information of the communication area ofthe external communication device when the print order is requested fromthe electronic camera through the external communication device; and atransmitting device which transmits the image ordered to be printed tothe selected printing shop and transmits the information of the printingshop to the electronic camera. Thus, the user can easily select theprinting shop to order to print the image.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, the informationobtaining system comprises: a server which has map data and provides themap data in accordance with a request from a user; and an electroniccamera which obtains desired map data from the server through anexternal communication device capable of determining a communicationarea where the external communication device is, wherein the electroniccamera comprises: a communication device which transmits a request formap data to the server through the external communication device andreceives the map data from the server; a recording medium which recordsthe map data received by the communication device; and a display whichdisplays a map on the basis of the map data recorded on the recordingmedium, wherein the server comprises: a selecting device which selectsthe map data in a neighborhood on the basis of the information of thecommunication area of the external communication device when a requestfor obtaining the map data is supplied from the electronic camera; and atransmitting device which transmits the map data selected by theselecting device to the electronic camera. Thus, the user can easilyobtain the map of the tourist spot in the neighborhood.

It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limitthe invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, theinvention is to cover all modifications, alternate constructions andequivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

1-2. (canceled)
 3. An electronic camera which transmits information toand receives information from a server having information of printingshops and transferring an image to a printing shop in accordance with arequest for print from a user through an external communication devicecapable of determining a communication area where the externalcommunication device is, the electronic camera comprising: acommunication device which receives printing shop information in aneighborhood of the communicating area from the server and transmits animage to the printing shop; a display which displays the printing shopinformation obtained from the server through the communication device;and an information input device which selects and inputs a desiredprinting shop from the displayed printing shop information. 4-5.(canceled)
 6. A print order system, comprising: an electronic camerawhich transmits an image ordered to be printed to a server through anexternal communication device capable of determining a communicationarea where the external communication device is; and the server whichreceives the order for printing the image transmitted from theelectronic camera through the external communication device andtransmits the received image to a printing shop in a neighborhood of thecommunication area, wherein the electronic camera comprises: aninformation input device which selects and inputs the image ordered tobe printed from a recording medium on which images are recorded; acommunication device which transmits the image ordered to be printedwhich is selected and inputted to the server through the externalcommunication device and receives information of the printing shop inthe neighborhood from the server; and a display which displays thereceived information of the printing shop, wherein the server comprises:a selecting device which selects the printing shop in the neighborhoodon the basis of information of the communication area of the externalcommunication device when the print order is requested from theelectronic camera through the external communication device; and atransmitting device which transmits the image ordered to be printed tothe selected printing shop and transmits the information of the printingshop to the electronic camera.
 7. The print order system according toclaim 6, wherein the server transmits a telephone number of the externalcommunication device to the printing shop and the printing shop recordsthe telephone number in a file of the image ordered to be printed.
 8. Aninformation obtaining system comprising: a server which has map data andprovides the map data in accordance with a request from a user; and anelectronic camera which obtains desired map data from the server throughan external communication device capable of determining a communicationarea where the external communication device is, wherein the electroniccamera comprises: a communication device which transmits a request formap data to the server through the external communication device andreceives the map data from the server; a recording medium which recordsthe map data received by the communication device; and a display whichdisplays a map on the basis of the map data recorded on the recordingmedium, wherein the server comprises: a selecting device which selectsthe map data in a neighborhood on the basis of the information of thecommunication area of the external communication device when a requestfor obtaining the map data is supplied from the electronic camera; and atransmitting device which transmits the map data selected by theselecting device to the electronic camera.
 9. The information obtainingsystem according to claim 8, wherein the electronic camera furthercomprises: an information input device which inputs a current positionon the map displayed on the display; and a recording medium on whichpositional information indicated by the information input device and animage optically-captured are recorded together.